Sydney are the team to beat

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Yes they lost to Hawthorn, yes they also lost to Geelong, but every finals contender must now be pondering the frightening likelihood that Sydney have actually improved on their Premiership-winning squad of last season. Even their absentees paint a picture; how many other clubs could win with such ease if players of the calibre of Adam Goodes, Lewis Jetta, Sam Reid and Gary Rohan were missing in action?

And is it just me or do players immediately play like superstars the minute they pull a Sydney jumper on? Against the Dogs, Jesse White diverted attention from the absence of Goodes by doing an eye-poppingly convincing impersonation of him, Kurt Tippet transformed from goal-kicking liability to dead-eyed Dick and Dane Rampe, who is possibly someone the Swans just pulled out of the crowd, looked as composed as a 10-year veteran. There can also scarcely have been a player do so much with three disposals as the Swans' sub Brandon Jack, who probably could have run literal rings around some Dogs defenders without them noticing, such is his speed. His brother Kieren had 30 touches, laid 13 tackles and kicked two goals. Playing them both for a full game would probably be unsporting, I guess.

Geelong falter, Roos pounce

With apologies to Fremantle supporters, any level-headed observer could fairly safely conclude that the premiership race is realistically a three-way struggle between Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong at this point. Yet Round 19 threw a cat among the pigeons or more precisely, some Roos among the Cats. Geelong again have some searching questions to ponder. After a fourth quarter fade-out against Adelaide only two weeks back, the Cats were unable to pressure the eminently pressurable Roos into coughing up the game in the final quarter, a feat managed on a number of occasions this year by far less credentialed sides than Chris Scott's men. Notwithstanding a drubbing of the rebuilding Saints last week, how far from their best are the Cats right now?

You'd almost have to conclude that losses like these are telling the competition that Geelong are beatable, especially under sustained pressure. The suspended James Podsiadly was singled out for criticism by his coach during the week and there is no doubt that leaving the hobbled Tom Hawkins stranded as the lone target for his team contributed heavily to the loss. Where to from here for Geelong remains an absorbing subplot.

Tigers fans may be quietly scared right now

Seriously Richmond supporters, how are you feeling right now? Are you cock-a-hoop at knocking off the top side? Are you relieved that you likely won't be receiving any late-August emails from gloating friends, eager to point out you've just missed the finals again? Or after decades of abject misery are you actually a little bit scared that your side may be a hell of a lot better than your heart-rate is comfortable with?

I said a couple of weeks back that the Tiger's win against Fremantle had all the hallmarks of a team clicking into gear, of a group of players realising they trust themselves and each other. Some immediately pointed to the fact that the Dockers were considerably short-staffed. You can't argue with knocking off the top side though, you just can't. When the Hawks came from 18 points down to lead by two at half time, Richmond could have rolled over again.

We've honestly come to expect it of them in the past. But just as heavily as the rain pelted down onto the MCG, Richmond poured on goals, six to two in a final quarter that saw them run out 41 point winners.

There's no avoiding it, anything less than a second-week finals appearance looms as a failure for these tougher, talented Tigers. Welcome back.

It proved to be a great shame in this instance because the Showdown was an absolute belter and the closest in the history of the South Australian derby. Looking down and out with only minutes remaining, Port conjured something special with goals to Angus Monfries, who put Australia's current crop of spinners to shame with a sharply-turning bounce through the sticks and Chad Wingard, who put the Power in front with barely 30 seconds remaining. It was the young Port star's fifth of the day and may well spark Wingard-fever in Adelaide. Port loom as a danger team in September, which seemed inconceivable at season's beginning.

By the time that pulsating Showdown had come to an end, the Pies had the number of Essendon in a clash that never looked like being close. Collingwood showed the gaping chasm between their best and worst performances by blitzing the Dons in four quarters of sustained excellence. All that remained to ponder was whether the "man bun" hairstyle is becoming an even more insidious scourge in AFL ranks than sleeve tattoos. Presumably as the result of merciless sledging, Nick Kommer had abandoned his late in the game, so only Brodie Grundy remained flying the bun flag. Is there a worse hairstyle in the AFL?